Exploring the Addictive Nature of Video Games
Many a serious gamer will attest to the fact that when you’re in the game, nothing else matters. In fact, players have been known to play with such intensity that they have died mid-game. Albeit this phenomenon is rare, it does exist. So, what is it about video games that has us so hooked?
Video games have become so immersive, that many are now voicing their concerns. However, when we truly think about it, many other forms of art or entertainment have at some point sparked similar worries? Almost as soon as they became mainstream, photography and cinema became provocative. Rock and roll followed suit, possibly even to a greater degree. So are video games really that much of a lone wolf when it comes to immersive entertainment?
The only exception that we can think of would be online bingo. It is such a harmless game and you can play on the odd occasion or all of the time, there’s no commitment. After all, have you ever heard of someone dying mid-bingo call at one of the best bingo sites, such bingosweets.com? Neither have we. It could then be deemed one of the few safe, immersive forms of entertainment. If you are thinking of playing some online bingo you might want to head on over to the bestbingobonuses site and check out their list of 20 pound free bingo sites before you sign up for any bingo site. Even chess has come under scrutiny as a sap for your mental energy! This would be a great opportunity to set up a business involving online games as they’re becoming more and more popular in today’s society, but be sure to hire a lawyer such as this business lawyer Wichita ks to help you with legal assistance and to guide you to success.
Video games, however, have been cited as taking the idea of immersive playing a step further. New games are being developed specifically to generate this high level of obsession in its audience. Games are becoming more theatrical than ever, with many developers now employing scriptwriters and filmmakers to work on the games. Those gifted in movie animation are being cultivated to make games more realistic than ever before.
Even if you’ve never felt the draw of a video game, it’s likely that you’ve found yourself gripped by a novel. You’ve become caught up in a page-turner and you simply cannot put it down. Whether it’s a traditional classic by the Brontes or a modern classic such as the Harry Potter series, this phenomenon is accepted and even celebrated in the world of literature. Game developers are now attempting to utilize the same techniques as celebrated novelists and filmmakers to keep their audience transfixed. When we think about it in these terms, the phenomenon is neither surprising nor malicious.
The single aspect which separates video games from a movie or a novel is the act of active participation. A person’s engagement with the latter is often passive, whilst gamers are required to take action. Time stops being measured by hours as we seep into the new reality created by the game. From then on time is measured by our actions, our gaming accomplishments. We settle on a task that we must achieve and until then we’re hooked. In order to complete the tasks, the game requires us to be completely focused. Only when it is accomplished are we shocked to find that vast amounts of time has passed.
Whilst immersive activities are not a new phenomenon by any stretch, video games take things a step further. They require not just our complete focus but also action. There is not just a sensory or mental engagement but a physical component which draws us further into the game. Developers are upping their efforts and as a culture, we just can’t get enough.
